The town was constructed entirely of wood and stood upon wooden pillars sunk into the bed of the [[Long Lake]], as a protection against the dragon [[Smaug]], who dwelt nearby in the [[Lonely Mountain]].

The town was constructed entirely of wood and stood upon wooden pillars sunk into the bed of the [[Long Lake]], as a protection against the dragon [[Smaug]], who dwelt nearby in the [[Lonely Mountain]].

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It was situated on the west side of the lake, south of the [[Lonely Mountain]] and east of [[Mirkwood]], near the mouth of the [[Forest River]] in a calm bay that was formed by the shelter of a rock promontory. A long wooden bridge connected the town to the land.

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It was situated on the west side of the lake, north of the mouth of the [[Forest River]] in a calm bay that was formed by the shelter of a rock promontory. A long wooden bridge connected the town to the land, ending in a building, with guards watching over the entrance.

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In the middle of Esgaroth the central market-place was located, which was a round pool connected to the lake by a tunnel<ref>{{H|14}}</ref>. The greatest houses of Esgaroth were around this market-place<ref name="h10">{{H|10}}</ref> just as apparently the town-hall where the [[Master of Lake-town|Master]] of Lake-town presided. The Master was the elected civic leader who under normal circumstances was chosen from among the old and wise.

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In the middle of Esgaroth the central market-place was located, which was a round pool connected to the lake by a tunnel<ref>{{H|14}}</ref>. The greatest houses of Esgaroth were around this market-place, from which ramps descended to the water<ref name="h10">{{H|10}}</ref>. The edge of the town was occupied with quays and, again, ramps, which descended to the water.

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he [[Master of Lake-town|Master]] of Lake-town was the elected civic leader who under normal circumstances was chosen from among the old and wise.

Contents

Description

The town was constructed entirely of wood and stood upon wooden pillars sunk into the bed of the Long Lake, as a protection against the dragon Smaug, who dwelt nearby in the Lonely Mountain.

It was situated on the west side of the lake, north of the mouth of the Forest River in a calm bay that was formed by the shelter of a rock promontory. A long wooden bridge connected the town to the land, ending in a building, with guards watching over the entrance.

In the middle of Esgaroth the central market-place was located, which was a round pool connected to the lake by a tunnel[1]. The greatest houses of Esgaroth were around this market-place, from which ramps descended to the water[2]. The edge of the town was occupied with quays and, again, ramps, which descended to the water.

he Master of Lake-town was the elected civic leader who under normal circumstances was chosen from among the old and wise.

History

It is not known when Esgaroth was built. The name Esgaroth is mentioned on the Thrór's Map, and is said to be an older name, known while Smaug was younger[3]. When Bilbo came to the town, he noticed old pilings of a (possibly older) greater town could still be seen along the shores when the waters sank in a drought.[2] It's possible that Esgaroth was destroyed sometime in the past, and the Lake-town was its remnant.[4]

The Lake-town was occupied by descendants of the survivors of the former Kingdom of Dale, like Bard the Bowman, who was ancestor of its last lord, Girion. However as the years passed, Smaug was forgotten and children even doubted about his existence or the tales of older men who sometimes saw him flying.[2]

Some days later however, the town was attacked by Smaug, but Bard the Bowman, who had indirectly learned of a weakness in Smaug's armour, slew the dragon with the Black Arrow. The town was wrecked by the dragon who fell dead on it and sunk in the lake. Survivors managed to sail to the lakeshore with boats and camped there[5].

Thorin refused to share Smaug's treasure and declared war on both the Lake-men and the Elves. The conflict eventually exploded because they heard news of approaching wargs and goblins. Thus became the Battle of Five Armies.

The town was afterwards rebuilt using some of the treasure to the north of its former location. The town's Master ran off with some of the gold. Part of the town's population followed Bard to resettle the Kingdom of Dale.

Trade

The town's prosperity was built on trade between the Men, Elves of Mirkwood and Dwarves of Erebor. It supplied food and drink to the Elves and the products of Erebor and Dale were funneled through it.[7]

Language

As a trading people, the Lake-men knew the Common Speech, Westron. However, amongst themselves they spoke an ancient form of it, Dalian, loosely related to but distinct from Rohirric, the also-archaic language of the Rohirrim.

Etymology

The name means, "…Reedlake, because of reed-banks in west". The root-word, esgar, means "reed-bed" in Ilkorin Elvish.[8]

Portrayal in adaptations

"...there is much else that may be told." — Glóin
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